Why Has Your
Municipality, Plenty of Money in
Plain Sight,
Yet Not Collected?
By Nick Ashton,
Founder, Tracometry
What is the
point of charging fines, imposing financial penalties and property seizures and
never really attempting to collect what is rightfully owed to the citizenry? After all, it is “of the people”, is it not?
Policy
review shows the exposure of this under-collection phenomenon is sparking
political and citizen controversy. Government agencies are failing to collect
billions and billions of dollars in civil and criminal fines—even when the offenders
possess the means to pay. Parking and
booting fines alone are in the millions of dollars!
During a
recession in which governments (local, state and federal), are slashing
budgets, cutting back public services, and laying off workers, they are at the
same time neglecting to recover huge sums from street level parking/booting
fines, code enforcement housing/building fines, health violation infractions, corporations
and executives that have actually been found to have engaged in various wrongdoing.
Particularly
in such an economic stagnant environment, one would expect a groundswell of
support to push all agencies to improve their fine collection rates. Nevertheless,
neither the public, press, nor political branches has said much about this
major financial problem, let alone sought explanations for why it is occurring
nationwide.
The modern
administrative state includes thousands of different agencies, administrative
bodies, and executive entities at the federal, state and local levels. These bodies regulate practically every imaginable
industry and subject matter. Agencies
enforce statutes, rules, and regulations through a variety of means, but
imposition of monetary sanctions (including fixed or variable fines and
penalties, and restitution) is the primary enforcement tool.
Administrative
fines may be imposed in both the civil and criminal contexts. Virtually every major administrative
regulatory program contains some type of monetary sanction. Sometimes, fines are the only available
sanction.
This story
shows us exactly what we are speaking of:
“When you get a
speeding ticket, you get a fine or go to court to dispute the ticket.
Topeka
Municipal Court Judge Vic Miller said speeding ticket fines are paid rather
quickly. However, when it comes to misdemeanor charges like drug- or
alcohol-related crimes, many times those fines are not paid. Over the years,
those unpaid fines have accumulated to $12,619,265.37.
“Our
expectation is that 100 percent of the fines and fees we levy will be paid 100
percent by 100 percent of the people. That’s our attitude,” Miller said. “Reality tells us that’s not going to
occur. But that’s our mission — to do what we can as close as we can to that
100 percent.”
However,
Miller says that is never going to happen and cites an example.
“There is an $800 mandatory fine for your
second offense for driving without insurance,” he said. “You didn’t have any money to begin with or
you would have had insurance on the car. So when I give you the $800 fine and
the $149 cost, that’s $1,000 I’m likely not going to see for some time, if
ever, because the person I’m looking at just plain doesn’t have it."
Miller
had story after story on why those convicted could not pay their fines. Many
are in jail, so they have no way to pay the fines. Others, who are addicted to
drugs or alcohol, continue to be arrested, and their fines continue to climb.
He gave an example of an individual who has more than $5,000 in fines who is
almost in his court weekly, when not in jail.
While
Miller wants to see these individuals get help, he said there is nothing he can
do.
“I can’t make them have treatment,"
he said. "In many cases, treatment
is not available.”
The
municipal court has switched collection agencies to try to regain some of the
unpaid funds. Miller said the new agency, as well as the courts, are going to
be more aggressive in collections. He also said they are working with
those who have fines to develop payment programs or settlements.”
Citizens
are demanding the same level of municipal services and city councils always
look toward tax increases and at the monies lying on the streets, so to
speak. Collections are the answer, it is
money already adjudicated, with documented information on all who owe these
monies. It is the ability to be able to
collect in a forthright professional manner with proven methods in these
economic times.
recoupeit, has
the ability to make this happen! Why can we achieve this set of financial goals of collections and municipalities and
states have failed?
America is less and less independently in control of its economy and just
this simple collection problem highlights this issue. It is not the time to reflect, dissect or
form massive hearings and committees on the situation; it is time to take
action with resolve and the proven solution and improve the cash flow back to
the citizens, which they are owed and demand.
A new
approach is required, credit score threats do not work and standardized
attempts prove ineffective. We have
received or heard of the collection agencies phone calls, how it sounds like a
person reading a script or selling you a “time share” opportunity. This is an old ineffective approach and
removed from the reality of the situation.
In some cases, genuinely, you cannot get blood from a stone, so other
methods must be enacted for success.
Our capabilities offer a worldwide proven approach, everything that every
city/state needs. Give us your cash
collection problems and we will give you the answers with increased collections
into the depleted coffers.
recoupeit, IS THE CHANGE THAT IS REQUIRED, NOW!
WE are in the NOW and KEEP YOU; in the KNOW…
Debt
is the fatal disease of republics, the first thing and the mightiest to undermine governments
and corrupt the people
Wendell Phillips
OUR VISION AND MISSION
Vision
Providing
a highly professional full cohesive chain of unique support to our clients in
all logistical aspects, domestic and international, through honesty and transparency. Using tomorrow’s technology
today.
Enabling
full current analytical systematic information that allows for the full picture
in “real time”.
Mission
Utilizing
our creative, professional, proven vocational resources and providing our experts
to work rigorously towards the betterment of our services for our and your clients'
satisfaction and demanded expectations.
Eliminating the distrust held by the
public.
Bringing
Back TRUST in All Departments and Increasing the COMFORT ZONE of EXPECTANCY
WE OFFER:
OUR
UNIQUE AND SPECIALIZED SERVICE THAT HAS BEEN AMASSED OVER MANY YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
Our
range of benefit services offer real savings and service options
Servicing
the smallest rural areas to the most financially complex cities.
§
Combining
our latest advancements in technology with our proactive approach.
§
Giving
you instant access to the most up to date progress on your cases,whether
individually or by batch, but securely in real time.
§ Tailoring our collection service to
meet your specific needs
§ Using the
latest profiling techniques we guarantee the most effective approach
§ Can’t pay or won’t pay? Let us put
them to the test.
Innovative tactics for debt recovery of
severely delinquent accounts
Customized
strategies based on the degree of default, tailored for your needs
- Consumer-focused approaches
that result in higher debt repayment
- A guarantee that we will work
every single account
- Responsive service, including extensive
real-time reporting capabilities. Account
management and transparency
- Debt collection is serious
business, and choosing the wrong partner can create substantial long-term heartache.
- Transparency
At All Times:
- Our client web access will keep
you up to date as regularly as you’d like. Access to real time data, full
case history and updating facility provides real transparency.
- Hands on operation that fully
understands the needs of the client and a regard for the public.
- The ability to deliver.
- Increased
cash flow and
by more efficient Accounts Receivable
- Increased
efficiency by
eliminating the day-to-day operations within a department
- Enhanced
ability to focus on
your core business operations
- Reduced
overhead, staffing
and training costs
- The
Benefits of
working with a dedicated and experienced team of professionals, who don’t
just say it, WE MEAN IT!
- Seamless
interaction with
your internal accounts payable system and immediate access to accurate,
up-to-date customer information
- Control -- you set the business
policies by which we operate
POSITIVE RESULTS
- Increased
cash flow by
collecting your money based on your terms
- Reduction
of bad debt through
successful account resolution
- Reduction in the percentage of
over-60 and over-90 day past
due balances
- Our collectors are persistent, yet professional,
and focus on customer service
- Our collectors have extensive experience in all
areas, enabling them to adapt to clients’ varied businesses
We handle
each account exclusively, confidentially, and in keeping with the rules and
regulations mandated by the state and federal laws.
Our team
includes strategic partners, Tracometry and BAIR Analytics, who bring their
immense years of expertise in law enforcement, Street Level Digital Data Collection,
Criminal Analytics, Tracking and Next Event Predictability.
It is the knowledge and our
abilities to communicate at a level that is understood, by all.
recoupeit, Reuniting Revenues…
Municipalities & Commerce
Telephone:
+1 (317) 721.4248
No comments:
Post a Comment